TEMPE, Ariz., May 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Economic growth is expected to continue in the U.S. throughout the remainder of 2017, say the nation's purchasing and supply executives in their Spring 2017 Semiannual Economic Forecast. Expectations for the remainder of 2017 continue to be positive in both the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors.

These projections are part of the forecast issued by the Business Survey Committee of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®). The forecast was presented today by Bradley J. Holcomb, CPSM, CPSD, chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee; and by Anthony S. Nieves, CPSM, C.P.M., A.P.P., CFPM, chair of the ISM Non-Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.

Manufacturing SummarySixty-four percent of respondents from the panel of manufacturing supply management executives predict their revenues will be 8.5 percent greater in 2017 compared to 2016, 12 percent expect a 9.6 percent decline, and 24 percent foresee no change in revenue. This yields an overall average forecast of 4.4 percent revenue growth among manufacturers for 2017. This current prediction is 0.2 percentage point below the December 2016 forecast of 4.6 percent revenue growth for 2017, but is 3.5 percentage points above the actual revenue growth reported for all of 2016. With operating capacity at 82.5 percent, an expected capital expenditure increase of 5.2 percent, an increase of 2.5 percent for prices paid for raw materials, and employment expected to increase by 1.3 percent by the end of 2017 compared to the end of 2016, manufacturing is positioned to grow revenues while managing costs through the remainder of the year. "With 17 of the 18 industries within the manufacturing sector predicting revenue growth in 2017, when compared to 2016, U.S. manufacturing continues to move in a positive direction," said Holcomb.

The Manufacturing panel was also asked Special Questions related to the impact thus far in 2017 on the following: (1) Is your organization actively off-shoring or re-shoring "significant" volumes of manufacturing? What is the main reason? (2) Since the national election last November, has your firm increased, decreased, or left unchanged its capital spending plans for this year? Why do you say so? (3) An increase in pricing power enables a firm to raise prices without losing business to a competitor. Over the past six months, has your firm seen a change in its pricing power? (4) Do you believe your supply chain will be able to meet your company's 2017 delivery needs? Their responses are provided at the end of this report.

Non-Manufacturing SummaryFifty percent of non-manufacturing purchasing and supply executives expect their 2017 revenues to be greater by 10.6 percent as compared to 2016. Respondents currently expect a 4.1 percent net increase in overall revenues, which is the same as the 4.1 percent increase that was forecasted in December 2016. "Non-manufacturing will continue to grow for the balance of 2017. Non-manufacturing companies continue to operate very efficiently as reflected by the high percentage of capacity utilization. Supply managers have indicated that overall prices are projected to increase 1.5 percent over the year. Overall employment is projected to grow 2.2 percent. Fourteen out of 18 industries are forecasting increased revenues, which is more than the 13 industries that forecasted increased revenues last year. The non-manufacturing sector will continue economic growth throughout the year," Nieves said.

The Non-Manufacturing panel was also asked Special Questions related to the impact thus far in 2017 on the following: (1) Is your organization actively off-shoring or re-shoring "significant" volumes of business processes? What is the main reason? (2) Since the national election last November, has your firm increased, decreased, or left unchanged its capital spending plans for this year? Why do you say so? (3) An increase in pricing power enables a firm to raise prices without losing business to a competitor. Over the past six months, has your firm seen a change in its pricing power? (4) Do you believe your supply chain will be able to meet your company's 2017 delivery needs? Their responses are provided at the end of this report.